Tel Aviv University Expands into Russia

From left: Founding President of the Russian Friends, Mr. Viktor Vekselberg; Ambassador of Israel in Russia, Ms. Dorit Goldener; and TAU President Joseph Klafter

The inaugural event of Tel Aviv University’s new Friends Association in Russia was held at the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Moscow, in the presence of the President of the Skolkovo Foundation and founding President of the Russian Friends, businessman and philanthropist Mr. Viktor Vekselberg; Ambassador of Israel in Russia, Ms. Dorit Goldener; TAU President Joseph Klafter and 200 leading members of Moscow business and academic circles.

Prof. Klafter said: “We are grateful for the leadership of Mr. Viktor Vekselberg in bringing Tel Aviv University to the Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, and for opening the doors of opportunity for the University in Moscow and throughout Russia.”

During his visit, Prof. Klafter signed a cooperation agreement between TAU and the Skolkovo Foundation. “The thinking behind Skolko Tech’s elite master’s program – with its emphasis on interdisciplinary studies, international links and innovation matches Tel Aviv University’s three core values – interactivity, innovation and international. The entire Skolkovo mission, to forge an ultra-modern science community and become a global innovation hub, dovetails with our mission at Tel Aviv University,” he said.

While in Moscow, Prof. Klafter attended meetings with the senior leadership of four additional academic institutions: Russian State University for the Humanities; N.N. Semenov Institute of Chemical Physics; Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology and the University of Moscow. Prof. Klafter signed cooperation agreements with each of the institutions.

From left: TAU VP Amos Elad; Rector of the Russian State University for the Humanities Pivovar Efim Iosifovich; TAU President Joseph Klafter and TAU Senior Executive Haim Ben-Yakov